Youth jailed for not handing over encryption password

Second ever sentence for RIPA offence

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A 19-year old from Lancashire has been sentenced to 16 weeks in a young offenders institution for refusing to give police the password to an encrypted file on his computer.

Oliver Drage, from Naze Lane, Freckleton, Lancashire was arrested in May as part of an investigation into child sexual abuse images. His computer was seized by police who were unable to access some material on it thanks to a 50-character encryption password.

Police formally requested the password from Drage, he refused to co-operate, an offence under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.

Det Sgt Neil Fowler, of Lancashire Police, said: "Drage was previously of good character so the immediate custodial sentence handed down by the judge in this case shows just how seriously the courts take this kind of offence," PA reports.

Police say they are still trying to crack the password. ®

Update: He's actually at least the third person imprisoned for this offence - see here.